Central Cariboo Search and Rescue with the assistance of an arborist came to the aid of a female hang glider who was stranded high up in a tree south of Quesnel on Wednesday, July 29.
Deborah Bortolussi, media spokesperson for Central Cariboo Search and Rescue (CCSAR) said they received a call in the afternoon that a person had been hang gliding in the Soda Creek area when an unprecedented gust of wind blew the hang glider into a tree.
Read more: Central Cariboo Search and Rescue implements adaptive measures for COVID-19 response
“They became stuck 25 metres off the ground and a call for help was made,” she told Black Press Media Thursday morning.
CCSAR Chief Rick White said the hang glider’s boyfriend was there when they arrived and guided them to the area where he thought she was located.
Around eight Land SAR team members were tasked to the incident and hiked into the scene.
Once they assessed the situation, an arborist was called in to assist.
The arborist climbed the adjacent tree and helped hook up a rope system which enabled the CCSAR team to lower the person to safety, Bortolussi said.
“Thankfully the person was without injuries,” she added.
CCSAR members are trained as rope technicians and update their skills all the time, said Bortolussi, noting the incident was a reminder of the importance of having a plan in place for an emergency situation.
Williams Lake RCMP also attended.
Read more: B.C. search and rescue groups responded to 700 calls in first half of 2020
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